When the Dusters clinched the NL pennant during the series with the Mets, the response from the city of Las Vegas was schizophrenic. The people on the street were ecstatic. The mayor stated that it was wonderful that Las Vegas would be known for something besides slot machines and showgirls. Most local business concerns went all-out in showing their support for the city's baseball heroes. But the response from the casinos and hotels along the Strip was muted. There was speculation in the press that some of the owners on the Strip resented the Nevada Dusters for stealing some of their limelight. But most of them were simply indifferent -- their livelihood depended on the tourist trade, not baseball, and they weren't very much interested in things like civic pride. Conn Hudson was intent on putting as much distance between the Dusters and the Strip as possible. He insisted that the parade and rally put on by the city to honor the NL champions occurred along Washington Avenue -- well north of Highway 95, and nowhere near the Strip. The events, taking place on October 6 prior to the night game, drew huge crowds, and Hudson, along with a number of the players, used the rally as an opportunity to express their thanks for the support the people of Las Vegas had given the team during the long season.

Game 1

October 4, 1963

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 + R H E

Mets (NYM) 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 10 1

Dusters (NEV) 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 5 9 0

WP: Reniff (8-4)

LP: Stallard (7-15)

Attendance: 27,498

Time: 3:03

Nevada Dusters record: 108-46

Casey Stengel's Mets returned to Horizon Field hoping to fare better than they had on their previous visit, early in September. Game 1 matched Jay Hook against Nevada starter Al Downing. The Dusters scored two runs in the 1st, as Albie Pearson singled and scored on a hit by Jerry Adair, and Adair scored on a sac fly by Rico Carty, who started in left field. Jim Hickman's two-run single in the Mets 3rd tied it up, and the two starters proceeded to battle in a pitcher's duel that stretched the game into extra innings. Hook lasted eight innings, getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the 5th by fanning Lee Maye, and finishing with two runs allowed on five hits while striking out seven. Downing (7.0 ip. 9 h, 1 bb, 2 r, 2 er, 5 k) never allowed more than one Mets baserunner in an inning. The Dusters put two men on in the 8th and again in the 9th, but to no avail. Then, in the 10th, Clete Boyer homered for three RBIs against Tracy Stallard. During the game, Conn Hudson learned that a loss by the Cincinnati Reds meant that a Nevada win would clinch the National League pennant, and as soon as Boyer's home run cleared the left field fence the news was flashed on the scoreboard -- and the night-long celebration began in Horizon Field and spread to the streets of Vegas. "They've called this the Miracle in the Desert for quite a while," Hudson told the players in the clubhouse after the game. "But it's not really miraculous. It happened because you guys are very good ballplayers who have meshed into a winning team."

Game 2

October 5, 1963

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 + R H E

Mets (NYM) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 6 0

Dusters (NEV) 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 8 0

WP: Mackenzie (4-6)

LP: Reniff (8-5)

Attendance: 27,746

Time: 2:49

Nevada Dusters record: 108-47

Ben Naylor had played AAA prospects Rico Carty and Denis Menke in Game 1, and Menke returned to the lineup in the second game of the series, this time at second base. Also starting were George Banks in center, Gary Kolb in right, Bob Bailey at third, and Vic Power getting his second consecutive start at first. Dave McNally was on the mound and stymied the Mets for seven innings, allowing no runs on two hits and striking out six. His opposite number, Galen Cisco, also pitched a fine game; the Dusters could manage just one run during Cisco's seven innings of work. That run came in the 4th, a solo blast into the right field bleachers off the bat of Billy Williams, who was still battling Philadelphia's Tony Gonzalez for the Major League batting title. With two men on in the 7th, Naylor pinch hit Jerry Adair for McNally, but the move failed to pay off. Reliever Bill Dailey held the Mets in check in the 8th but closer Hal Reniff ran into trouble in the 9th. With two on and one out, Duke Snider hit an RBI single, and third baseman Cliff Cook did likewise to give the Mets a 2-1 lead. In the bottom of the 9th there was a Duster on every base with two outs, but Rico Carty grounded out, and Nevada suffered its 47th loss. Some suggested that Naylor pulled McNally while Nevada was leading to prevent the starter from suffering another loss, and that Williams was replaced after going 1-for-3 (and didn't start Game 1) to protect his razor-thin batting average advantage over Gonzalez. Nails took offense at the notion. "I play them when I need them, and where their stats are concerned, let the chips fall where they may." For his part, Williams said he wanted to play every game but understood what Naylor was doing. "He's resting us because we can't afford any injuries at this stage, and they want to take a look at some of the guys who might come up from Bakersfield next year."

Game 3

October 6, 1963

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 + R H E

Mets (NYM) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 5 1

Dusters (NEV) 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 x 4 9 1

WP: Richert (13-3)

LP: Linzy (3-3)

SV: Reniff (53)

Attendance: 27,060

Time: 3:01

Nevada Dusters record: 109-47

Ben Naylor continued to use replacements in Game 3 -- J.C. Martin behind the plate, Denis Menke (his third consecutive start) at short, and George Banks playing left field instead of Billy Williams. Starter Pete Richert was in pursuit of his 13th victory of 1963 -- and pitched one of his best games, allowing one run on five hits in 8.1 innings work, striking out seven in the process. He contributed with the bat, too, going 2-for-4 with a run scored. That lone Mets run didn't come until the 9th inning. In the 3rd Richert walked Al Moran and Frank Linzy, but Rod Kanehl grounded out and, when Joe Gaines lined out to center, Albie Pearson's throw to Jim Fregosi doubled off Linzy to end the inning. The Mets threatened again in the 6th, loading the bases with just one out, but Marv Throneberry whiffed and Duke Snider flied out. In the meantime the Dusters scored a run in the 1st and another in the 5th -- a George Banks solo homer -- and two more in the 6th as Mets starter Frank Linzy walked three and gave up singles to Richert and Jim Fregosi. When the Mets loaded the bases in the 9th, Naylor pulled Richert and called on firemen Claude Raymond and Hal Reniff, who gave up a run (charged to Richert) for two outs to secure the 4-1 win for Nevada. Richert had his win. Banks was 2-for-5 with a run and an RBI (and went 5-for-8 in the series), while Fregosi finished the day with 2-for-3 with two walks and an RBI.

Dusters Starting Lineups

Game 1

Albie Pearson cf

Vic Power 1b

Jerry Adair 2b

Lee Maye rf

Denis Menke ss

Rico Carty lf

Clete Boyer 3b

J.C. Martin c

Al Downing p

Game 2

George Banks cf

Vic Power 1b

Billy Williams lf

Jim Fregosi ss

Denis Menke 2b

Gary Kolb rf

Bob Bailey 3b

Johnny Roseboro c

Dave McNally p

Game 3

Albie Pearson cf

Donn Clendenon 1b

George Banks lf

Jim Fregosi 2b

Denis Menke ss

Lee Maye rf

Clete Boyer 3b

J.C. Martin c

Pete Richert p

AB

H

BB

R

HR

RBI

K

SB

AVG

C/1B

Martin

8

1

1

0

0

0

1

0

.223

C

Roseboro

3

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

.229

1B

Power

8

2

0

0

0

0

1

0

.269

1B/PH

Clendenon

3

0

2

1

0

1

1

1

.296

2B/PH

Adair

6

1

0

1

0

1

1

0

.291

3B

Boyer

8

1

1

2

1

3

2

0

.245

3B

Bailey

4

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

.286

SS/2B

Menke

11

3

2

1

0

1

3

1

.273

SS/2B

Fregosi

8

4

2

0

0

1

0

0

.288

OF

Pearson

10

3

1

1

0

0

1

0

.311

OF

Maye

9

1

1

0

0

0

4

0

.258

OF/PH

Carty

4

0

1

1

0

1

0

0

.179

OF

Banks

8

5

0

1

0

1

2

0

.317

OF

Williams

3

1

0

1

1

1

0

0

.332

OF

Kolb

2

1

2

0

0

0

1

0

.305

P

McNally

2

0

0

0

0

0

2

0

.119

P

Downing

2

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

.123

P

Richert

4

2

0

1

0

0

0

0

.175

3B: Fregosi (13)

HR: Boyer (16), Williams (23), Banks (9)

G

GS

IP

H

BB

HR

R

ER

K

PIT

ERA

SP

Downing

1

1

7.0

9

1

0

2

2

5

99

3.03

SP

McNally

1

1

7.0

2

1

0

0

0

6

95

2.99

SP

Richert

1

1

8.1

5

5

0

1

1

7

133

4.22

1 win

RP

Raymond

2

-

2.1

1

0

0

0

0

4

33

2.72

RP

Reniff

3

-

2.1

3

1

0

2

2

3

47

3.09

1 win

1 loss

1 save

RP

Dailey

1

-

1.0

1

0

0

0

0

0

16

1.63

FEATURED GAME

Game 1: October 4, 1963

New York Mets

starting lineup

Rod Kanehl 2b

Gil Hodges 1b

Duke Snider rf

Jim Hickman cf

Joe Gaines lf

Cliff Cook 3b

Sammy Taylor c

Al Moran ss

Jay Hook p

TOP OF THE FIRST

Rod Kanehl singled through the hole. <--1>

Gil Hodges grounded to second for a double play. <--->

Duke Snider grounded to third. <--->

0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.

In the middle of the first, the game is tied at 0.

BOTTOM OF THE FIRST

Albie Pearson singled up the middle. <--1>

Vic Power singled in the left field gap, advancing the runner to third. <3-1>

Jerry Adair grounded to third, scoring a run. <--1>

Lee Maye walked. <-21>

Denis Menke was hit by a pitch. <321>

Rico Carty flied out to right. <321>

Jerry Adair tagged up and reached home, scoring a run. <-21>

Clete Boyer lined out to third. <-21>

2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, and 2 left on base.

At the end of the first, Nevada leads 2 to 0.

TOP OF THE SECOND

Jim Hickman singled up the middle. <--1>

Joe Gaines grounded to short. <--1>

Joe Gaines stole second. <-2->

Cliff Cook struck out. <-2->

Sammy Taylor lined out to center. <-2->

0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, and 1 left on base.

In the middle of the second, New York trails 2 to 0.

BOTTOM OF THE SECOND

J.C. Martin grounded to third. <--->

Al Downing struck out. <--->

Albie Pearson lined out to right. <--->

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.

At the end of the second, Nevada leads 2 to 0.

TOP OF THE THIRD

Al Moran grounded to first. <--->

Jay Hook singled to center. <--1>

Rod Kanehl singled up the middle. <-21>

Gil Hodges walked. <321>

Duke Snider lined out to center. <321>

Jim Hickman singled to right for two RBIs. <-21>

Joe Gaines grounded to third. <-21>

2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, and 2 left on base.

In the middle of the third, the game is tied at 2.

BOTTOM OF THE THIRD

Vic Power flied out to left. <--->

Jerry Adair popped up to short. <--->

Lee Maye struck out. <--->

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.

At the end of the third, the game is tied at 2.

TOP OF THE FOURTH

Cliff Cook struck out. <--->

Sammy Taylor grounded to second. <--->

Al Moran singled to left. <--1>

Jay Hook grounded to second. <--1>

0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, and 1 left on base.

In the middle of the fourth, the game is tied at 2.

BOTTOM OF THE FOURTH

Denis Menke popped up to third. <--->

Rico Carty grounded to third. <--->

Clete Boyer struck out. <--->

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.

At the end of the fourth, the game is tied at 2.

TOP OF THE FIFTH

Rod Kanehl singled to right. <--1>

Gil Hodges struck out. <--1>

Rod Kanehl was caught stealing second. <--->

Duke Snider flied out to center. <--->

0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.

In the middle of the fifth, the game is tied at 2.

BOTTOM OF THE FIFTH

J.C. Martin walked. <--1>

Al Downing lined out to center. <--1>

Albie Pearson popped up to second. <--1>

Vic Power singled to center. <-21>

Jerry Adair reached first on a fielding error by the left fielder. <321>